Choose Life is the National Suicide Prevention Programme and each area has a Choose Life
Partnership so in Glasgow we have a partnership that is multi-agency groups that are involved
- health and social work, fire and education and police on the group and we all come together
and meet every 6 weeks to try and reduce deaths by suicide in the city.
What we are trying to do is help promote the positive mental health of the population,
quite simply and there is lots of aspects to that so the only way you can do that is
through partnerships.
It's not just about mental health services or health services so projects like the 'Bridge'
film are ideal for that - how do you use any means to get dialogue; going to get people
helping each other.
I got an email one day from the Director Iain Robertson explaining that he was making a
film about suicide prevention and that he wanted to talk to us about the making of the film
We had a meeting, myself and my colleague Trevor Lakey met with Iain and the producer
of the film and we were able to give some advice and information around how you deal
with the subject of suicide and suicide prevention in that kind of format.
We were delighted to help a little bit as well with promoting some of the crowd funding
aspect of the film making which was an interesting angle for us as well.
And then with things like the launch being able to help bring the message of the film
to an audience and get the launch of the film into the public domain.
We were really pleased to work with Stone Scissors Paper the producers of the film to
help facilitate the launch of the film at Glasgow City Chambers.
It was a great opportunity for us because it helped us get suicide prevention information
out to a much wider audience through the people that were coming to see the film and through
the publicity that surrounded the launch of the film.
It also gave us the opportunity, myself and Trevor, to talk to the people that were there
to see the film that night about some of the suicide prevention work that goes on in the
city and provide information about sources of support as well and that information was
also going out with the publicity around the film.
The message of the film and the story of the film really fits with the message that we
try to put out about suicide prevention and suicide prevention work.
We try to portray the message that suicide prevention is everyone's business and that
we break the taboo.
Anyone, any member of the public can intervene and help someone.
Excuse me darling, you got a light?
What?
I said, you got a light?
I don't smoke.
Aye, well OK.
Do you know if there is a shop open?
What?
To buy a lighter.
I don't live around here so do I need to go that way or that way?
There's a shop about 200 yards down on the left.
You'll need to hurry it shuts at 10.
Aye, right, cheers.
We think the film is potentially a great resource because the message of it does fit so well
with the National Programme and the message of suicide prevention being everybody's business
and the need to break the taboo about suicide.
Story-telling, I think, is an important part of that.
Stories about how people help each other.
Stories of the situation and methods people use [to help each other].
I think that is what attracted us to Bridge.
A lot of thought had really gone into a powerful, authentic story.
Just let me go!
No.
Please!
If I let you go, you'll no see that one wee thing.
What thing?
Amid all the shite that one good thing.
So wee you might no even notice but it keeps you going for a day.
Maybe even a week.
Then another wee thing happens and then it's another week, maybe even a month.
Then it's a year.
2 years.
The thing is, you've got to hang on for that first wee thing.
We know that the training has been effective.
We found out just recently that someone from one of our voluntary sector organisations
that are part of the Choose Life Partnership had just recently completed the suicide prevention
training a couple of weeks ago and actually was walking across a bridge in Glasgow and
came across someone who was actively suicidal.
Having been on the training he had the confidence to approach the person and strike up a conversation
and actually managed to persuade the person to change their mind and come back to a place of safety